Preps this week

Got an e-mail from a follower over the weekend who wondered why there doesn't seem to be as much conversation this fall on the prep posts. I suggested the interest is there - if not increasing by what I can determine - but fewer people are talking. It appears the cat has Big Al's tongue, too.

Anyway, click the tab below to see perhaps some conversation starters about what's going on this week.

Before we get to football, Wednesday offers some interesting cross country matchups in the Greater Spokane League.

The Ferris and North Central boys face off while University and Mead also tangle.

In volleyball, Mt. Spokane goes to Mead on Thursday in what essentially should decide the GSL championship. Should be a dandy. Probably will go five. THIS IS A CORRECTION. I originally had the wrong site for the match.

In football, Great Northern League teams begin conference play Friday. Cheney (1-1-1) goes to preseason favorite Clarkston (2-1) and Pullman (1-2) goes to Deer Park (3-0). In an interesting non-league matchup, East Valley (1-2) goes to Colville (3-0). West Valley (0-3) has a much-needed bye.

In the Greater Spokane League, it's rivalry week. On Friday, Univeristy (1-2) goes to Central Valley (2-1) at 7 and Mead (2-1) and co-leader Mt. Spokane (3-0) square off at 8 in the second game of a doubleheader at Joe Albi Stadium. In the other matchups, ever-improving Shadle Park (0-3) meets North Central (1-2) in the opener at Albi at 5:30 and Lewis and Clark (1-2) visits Gonzaga Prep (2-1) at 7. In a single game Thursday at Albi, co-leader Ferris (3-0) meets Rogers (0-3) at 6:30.

In North Idaho, Coeur d'Alene (2-1) comes off a bye to host Sandpoint (2-1) on Friday while Post Falls (3-0) visits Lakeland (1-3). Lake City (1-2) takes on Glacier Peak at Snohomish on Saturday.

Back to cross country for a moment. Shadle Park junior Nathan Weitz pulled off quite a feat Saturday, breaking a 19-year-old record at the Farragut/Super 1 meet at Farragut State Park. His time was 16:03. "I have been associated with the history of this meet for the past 30 years and we have seen a lot of great runners come through here," Lake City coach Justin Taylor said. "Nathan Weitz 16:03 is the greatest individual performance this course has ever seen. He ran 250 feet farther uphill than the old course, a phenomenal performance."